The approach road leading up to Adisham station, photographed on 17th January 2010.

photograph by Gregory Beecroft

Adisham station opened on 22nd July 1861, when the London, Chatham & DoverRailway started running trains between Canterbury and Dover. The station is no longer staffed, but it survives remarkably intact. The station building, station house and goods shed, all on the down side, remain. The only building on the up side is a modest shelter. The platforms are slightly staggered and were extended at the Canterbury end to eight coach lengths, using concrete components, in connection with the 1959 electrification. Apart from platform shelters, the only passenger facilities are a permit to travel machine and an information point. When visited in mid January, the information posters were still displaying details of the service over Christmas!

The station is used for a little over 1,000 journeys per week (ORR figures for 2007-08), suggesting about 80 return trips for school or work each weekday. That is not bad for a small village, but like others on the line, Adisham is extremely fortunate to be served by an hourly train seven days a week. Many stations with much greater traffic fell victim to the Beeching axe.

The station is located outside Adisham village, with the most convenient pedestrian access being a field path from the up platform. It preserves its traditional rural character better than many, so that the hourly Electostar seems strangely out of place.

The station buildings from the footbridge, which are all on the down platform.

photograph by Gregory Beecroft

Another view of the station buildings taken from the up platform.

photograph by Gregory Beecroft

The view looking up through the station.

photograph by Gregory Beecroft

The old goods shed lives on - though now with a good amount of greenery!

photograph by Gregory Beecroft